Indonesia seen posting $360mn deficit in January

JAKARTA: Indonesia is expected to post a trade deficit for the third month running in January, with both exports and imports likely to fall further, a Reuters poll of 11 economists showed on Friday.

The median estimate was for a deficit of about $360 million in January, widening from December's $230 million deficit.

Exports in January were seen dropping 15.40 percent from a year earlier, while imports seen were down 8.14 percent.

At least the falls are expected to be less steep than in December, when exports fell 17.66 percent and imports dropped 16.02 percent.

"We expect exports and imports are still in their downward trend but not as much as in previous months because the government has started disbursing its budget earlier this year," said Akbar Suwardi, Bank Rakyat Indonesia's economist based in Jakarta.